acknowledged, but it wasn't until 1970 that federal laws started to limit the many uses of asbestos. Even so, many commonly used products still contain asbestos, and the carcinogenic (cancer-causing) properties of asbestos in these products have caused an epidemic of respiratory and other cancers including mesothelioma cancer.
Because of the fire- and heat-resistant properties of asbestos, it was used in many building products as a fire-retardant insulator, in plumbing, electrical, and structural applications. Unfortunately, the ubiquitous nature of building products that contain asbestos means that asbestos still has a significant presence in our lives. Below is a partial list of products that contain asbestos, many of which are still in existence in older buildings:
Building exteriors
Stucco
Building overhangs (thermal spray)
Brick and block mortar
Asbestos cement siding and roof panels
Building products that contain asbestos in an unbound or loosely bound form
Sprayed insulation (fire-resistant, acoustic, condensation control, thermal)
Insulating cements
Insulation block (calcium or magnesia silicate)
Textiles
Flooring
Sheet vinyl flooring (asbestos paper backing)
Vinyl asbestos tile
Floor leveling compound
Walls
Stippled finishes
Thermal spray
Plaster or drywall jointing materials
Pipes
Steam and hot water heating supply and return lines
Gaskets in flanged pipe joints
Domestic water supply and drain lines
Rain water and sanitary lines
Ceilings
Acoustic and stippled finishes
T-bar ceiling tiles
Asbestos cement ceiling tiles
Plaster or drywall jointing materials
Service Areas
Crawl spaces (insulation on pipes, ducts)
Machine rooms (insulation on pipes, ducts, floors, ceilings, walls)
Insulation in boiler rooms (pipes, ducts, boilers, vessels, incinerators, floors, ceilings, walls)
Fan rooms (insulation of pipes, ducts, chillers, floors, ceilings, walls)
Miscellaneous
Incandescent light fixture backing
Firestopping
Welding blankets and screens
Incinerators (internal insulation)
Wire insulation
Heating cabinet panels (asbestos cement)
Fire dampers and fire stop flaps
Emergency generators (thermal insulation and exhaust manifolds)
Duct tape
Elevator brake shoes